1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fishing rod protectors and more particularly pertains to a new fishing rod protector assembly for protecting the fishing rod from being damaged when the fishing rod is secured to a boat deck.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of fishing rod protectors is known in the prior art. More specifically, fishing rod protectors heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,815979; U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,083; U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,366; U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,515; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 388,498; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,494.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new fishing rod protector assembly. The inventive device is designed for coupling to a boat including a fishing rod holder for holding multiple fishing rods against a deck of the boat. The fishing rod protector assembly includes a main member pivotally coupled to the boat and a latch member designed for coupling to the boat deck to selectively engage the main member. The main member is positioned such that the top of the main member is positioned over the end of a fishing rod engaged to a fishing rod holder on the boat deck.
In these respects, the fishing rod protector assembly according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of protecting the fishing rod from being damaged when the fishing rod is secured to a boat deck.